The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 5.75 miles (9.25km)
Time to walk: Roughly 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Pretty flat easy walking
Parking: Carefully on the road in Glapthorn near the church
Public toilets: None
Map of the route:
We’d heard lots about Glapthorn Cow Pastures but have never visited. Managed by the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northamptonshire, it’s a magical place & the Trust look forward to you exploring it.
This walk starts in the village of Glapthorn, outside the church, whose name origin is uncertain. Maybe it comes from ‘Glappa’s thorn-tree’ or ‘glaep-thorn’, an otherwise obscure plant name
The village lies approximately 1.5 miles from Oundle. Glapthorn’s church of St Leonard’s mostly dates back to the 13th century
Shall we go & explore then?
Let’s Walk!
1. This walk starts on the wonderful bench outside St Leonard’s Church…
Facing the church bear left & walk through along the street, passing the village hall & some beautiful thatched cottages…
2. Cross to the other side of the road & continue down the hill…
Cross over the bridge …
…& past the pocket park on the left. Continue along the main road to the end. Now join the path & head to the T-Junction…
3. Bear left keeping on the path…
At the end of the path cross over & join the path opposite to continue in the same direction, passing the primary school on your right…
4. Just after the school turn right to follow the bridleway…
This is a nice, easy route to follow…
5. At the top of the track turn left & follow the path that you’ll now also follow on your return from the Cow Pastures
Continue, keeping the small hedge on your left
6. Eventually the track arrives at a metal gate. Pass through this & walk directly opposite towards another one…
Go through this gate & turn left down the track
7. Just before arriving at the road enter the Cow Pastures through the kissing gate…
Glapthorn Cow Pastures are a 70 acre biological Site of Special Scientific Interest managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire & Northamptonshire
This site has ash & maple woodland, & dense blackthorn scrub. It is described by Natural England as one of the most important sites in Britain for the black hairstreak butterfly, which requires a habitat of prunus species such as blackthorn. The scrub also provides nesting sites for nightingales
We’ve decided to let you just explore on your own. Check out this link to the website for a map &, obviously, please keep to the main drives & respect the site
8. Once you’ve finished exploring come back out of the entrance & turn right along the road. Please be careful as, although this is a quiet road, cars can move quickly along it
Walk past the end of the pasture as in the picture below…
…& look for the gap on the right just before the fork in the road which may be quite overgrown…
9. Once through the bridleway is much easier to follow…
On arriving at the road turn right…are you tempted to have a go?
10. Pass through a metal gate into a field again…
…& follow the telegraph pole line to another gate
11. Go through this one & now continue with the hedge on your right…
There’s another gate to go through & now walk towards the houses
12. Pass the local ‘residents & continue along the track to the right…
Continue up the hill, passing the chickens on your right
13. Bear left through the gate & now it’s time to retrace your steps towards Glapthorn…
On arriving back at the junction just keep straight ahead…
14. Again, this is a well maintained path…
On reaching the gap pass through & continue in the same direction…
15. Now keep the hedge on your left as you climb the hill…
Pass through the gate & turn right along the road. Please be careful re traffic. There’s a wide verge to be able to stand on when cars pass
16. On reaching the crossroads turn right…
Pass the paddock on your left looking out for this small chap…
17. We’re now back in the village so continue up the road to the footpath sign
Go through the gate in the wall & continue straight ahead…
18. Another local resident wanted to say hello…
Continue towards the church…
19. At the bottom, cross the bridge on the left over the stream…
Follow the path back into the village where you’ll find the church on your left…
So that’s it…we loved Glapthorn & the Cow Pastures. Be careful walking along the road & be prepared to stand on the verge
Apart from that…just have fun & explore
Go Walk!